Hawaii fisherman gets up close with hungry shark

WAIANAE, Hawaii (AP) – A Hawaii fisherman has an unbelievable fishing tale: a close encounter with a 9-foot shark that jumped dangerously near his kayak. But, he has the video to prove it.

Isaac Brumaghim, 37, was kayak fishing off the Waianae Coast Sunday when the shark sprang up and chomped on the tuna he was fighting to reel in for a tournament.

“He exploded under my kayak, his dorsal hit my kayak,” Brumaghim said Thursday. “It was just like a rush.”

Many thoughts ran through his head: fear, excitement and disappointment at losing a big catch. “The shark scared me,” he said. “But I really needed that fish for my job.”

The next thought after the rush subsided: “I hope I got that on camera.”

He often goes fishing with a camera mounted to his kayak. At home, he watched the footage and posted it online, not expecting it to generate the attention it’s getting.

Reporters nationwide are calling. Many are still skeptical, accusing him of doctoring the footage.

The father of three is still in shock, himself. “I just have to laugh about it,” he said, hoping that the experience at least brings some attention to the growing sport of kayak fishing and Aquahunters, the company he runs.

While he lost the kawakawa, or mackerel tuna, to the shark, he continued fishing that afternoon, later catching an 18-pound kawakawa.

The experience, he said, was a humble reminder of the creatures he shares the ocean with.

“You get the chills when it happens,” he said, “but it never scares me from going in.”